Instrument for measuring the height of liquids



May s, 1923.

Filed June W C BARNES ET AL INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING THE HEIGHT 0F LIQUIDS accurately indicate the heiglito in a tank when the indicator is at a distance iw-A cell; A Fig. 9, a section on the line 9 -9 of Fig..

- thereof. The

Fateiited av 8,1923. l

WALTER ic. BARNES, oF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; AND WILLIAM@ imanes, orciioaimerait, MASSACHUSETTS. f

INSTRUMENT Feit MEASURING fir-HE' HEIGHT or LIeU'IBs.

Application .led'une :10, 1921. Serial No. 476,446. y

- To all fwlzomz'zfmai/ cmicemi' y Be it :known that we. lVAL'riin C. Binivns'aid (llVinLini-i U.. BARNES, citi- Zeus of the United'v 5 Chicago, (2) Leominster,county -ol L Cook, (2) \\"o1cester,-Sta'te'of (1)`-Illinois (2) Massachusetts, have 4inventedfa'n lin'l -provement in Instruments for Measuring the Height of Liquids, of wliicli the following .1 0 -is a speciticatioii. 'Y (hir-invention relates to indicators for measuring the height of a liquid ina 'coni taineres iecially ivlienithe indicator '-i's.to.:

be locate at a distance, and hasy been shown 1 5 in' the draivingas applied'for 4the'measnre ment lof the `height of the liquid in the fuel tank of an automobile. invention is to provide a simpleand inex'- pensive device of' the above elasswhich shall i the liquid from the-tank without the use of floats, le,-

' vers,.or other unreliable moving mechanisms.

F ig. 2 shows a modified forin`of apparatus-" in which an equalizing pipe is provided;

Fig. 3,' one form of indicator;

Fig. La side view in cross-section ofthe indicator of Fig. 3;v Fig. 5, a modified form of indicator adaptedto be used with the vapparatus of Fig. 2;

, Fig. 6, a. plan View of the connection shown in Fig. 7; ".1

' Fig. 7, a section through the bushing around the pipe 20 Where the saine enters the fuel tank;

hand.

Fi'g.`10`shows a section on the line 10--10 9 For purposes of Illustration We have shown our invention applied to the. measmeme-nt oit the fuel of the automobile with the indicatoren .the dash oi' other 'eo'nveii ient location. iecause depending upon the States, residing at central passageway is in determined leve ATo these and other ends`our invention'con-- lsi'sts incertain arrangements and combm'a-l j -F ig. 8, a cross-sectioii ofiou-rfelectrolytic.

differential fluid pressure 'gauge principle we havebeen able to `produce such an indirator suitable for'a wide application and having great accuracy, this for the reason that lWe do away with -the presence .of ineclianica-lly moving' 'parts'such, for example, as the levers, rotatableshafts, found in niany 'liquid level indicators. i Referring to theV drawing, shows our gauge'in the down )in tothe well but shouldered top' portion is the tube 13 Whose 'alinenient with that of the gaugeglasa 14. n the inodiiication shown hv Figures '1, 3 and i the top of .the

the atmosphere 16 0I metal-or .otliersuitable' material is affixed beside the y 'gaugeglass and may be graduated to show gaugev glass is exposed to at 15.. A; graduated plate 'the volume of li uid inthe tank above apreor'assiiown in Figure 3 .with the zero `a t he-top of the 'gauge may indicate ,theL @volume of liquid already used up, or in o ter words'the jvoluine required'- to lill th'edtanlu- Disgfsed .in the Well 12' may be some liquid 1 suclhfor example,

as iiie'rpury-,Wh-ichi'sadaptedto rise in 'the boreof'the gauge 14 upon the application of greater than atmospheric Y"pressure to the top of the liquid increments of pressure are to he indicated, it

in the .Well 12.v if' smallV 'G0 iioats', etc.,

thenuineral 1.3iv

.loivergortion of' which isle-cated the well`12, and extending supported traits may be desirahie to have a liquid of less .I

density, as for example, an 'oil in the mercury in order that greater di verei'ices in level may be obtained. Gr it nieu-bedesirable to use mercury in the'. well an oil 'in the bore' 14,' froni the rear of the in .with tivo small' ing` with the Well the' mercury and connected at endswith the vsmall tubesor conduits wand 20. From Fig..1 it .will be seen that the tutte 2() leads down through theftop of the fuel tank 37 to -a oosition adjacent the bottom ottoni of the, pipe 20 in the fuel tank is the'predetermined level above passageways 21 'connect- 'i2y Withv A lug-1 8 projecting-- gauge is provided therespace above the level of their other' mit which the height of liquid iste lbe measured.. i

The other pi source of pe-l leads to some' suitable gas pressure for the; gauge, prei erably from theelectrolyt-.ic-feell siiowii in.'-

Fi-g. 8, ascomprising the body poetica@ .Whose lowe end contains 'the insulating so holes 28 in the base thereof through which pins 29 may-be used 'to secure the bushing to bushin' 24, yin which is located the electrode 26. T e lconducting leads .25 may be con-' A nected with an'electric battery-ll or other suitable source of current for the' electrolysis of water within the cell 22.' The cell -22 may be coupled through 'the .passageway 23fwith some appropriate source of water supply,

r ,such as the water cooling system' of the automobile or the radiator 33. The water pressure in ourl electrolyftic cell should preferably be under greater lpressure at all times Athan the maximum pressure at, the bottom of. the 4pipe 20, in order that thecell may act as a Water seal to pretie'nttheescape of the gas through the passageway 23. By having the bpbbles of gas form' slowly around the electrode 26, they may be caused to rise' and pass through thetube 19; into contact with the` I liquid in thel Well 120i tliegauge'. Care should be vtaken that the passageway 19 be-of small diameter and free' from any' pockets 112. The increase of pressure on the liquid in in' -which the small bubbles of gas may 'coa-. lesce. Both the conduits 19 and 2,3 may be secured to the Ybody portonof the cell 22' vby means of some usual form of packing and nutsl.v f y f llfhere thepipe 20 leads into the fuel tank "37 some appro riate form of bushing 2.7 may beused, such or example, as that' shownlin the drawing, 'provided with a plurality of the container. -The pipe '20 is preierably freel movable. through' the bushing 27, but

"is 'a apted to be 'clamped-'at its'adpisted heightby screwing the nut 3l tocom ress the' packing 30 contained at the top o the' bushing, .v c

n operation the slow and" gra-dual decomposition of water in therelectrolyticcell 22 produces bubbles of algas.; which rise and cause an increase" of" pressure 1n the' well v the well causes the level of the liquid in the vauge-to indicate thedegree of this pressure. lith the tube 20 arranged as indicated, the pressure on: the we-1112 isy always kept the same as the pressure` at the predetermined level due to. the head of liquid'thereonZ be'- cause any excess pressure on the wel1'12 causes the' gas to .escape Aoutfrom the bottom 'of the tube 2Q and up througlntheliquid.

` ln order that our apparatus may' beeconomical in operation stress may be laid upon the necessity for having the tubes L9, 2O and 21 of small diameterandiin actualpractice to a `'show what lifttlequantity .of 'gas may be re-\ quired to-be'produced by the electrolytic cell, it ma? capacityL o y t 'at onecubic inch o 'as per hour A 'has been oundsuilicient' to keep up .pressure .in the .gauga'to the amount necessary t@ give itthe required sensitivenese. .i 1S 4 wdlll ll@ 0i gpliestated that the yolumetric' these' tubes and the gauge is so..

insa-,ssi

paratus to'be lused ,when the top ofthe liquid level to be measured is exposed to the atmosphere, but when thejsurlace-o the liquid to be measured is subjected to a greater" or less pressure, it may be desiilable to use an equalizingpipe 36 connectingthe .top of the gaugmwhich as shown in Fig. 5

has been closed. by the plug 35, with the pressure on the surface ofthe liquid 'in the container 37. .-The gauge ll may alsohbe provided with a lug 38.whereby the same 'may be conveniently attached to the dash el() i A by meaiisof thebolt 39. As shown in Fig. 4, the body portion of the 4'bore of the gauge glass is of enlarged diameter` as far down as the zero mark. Such an arrangement aff fords an easy means of insuring the correct amount of liquid in the gauge because lwhen the tank 37 1s filled and the electrolytic cell 1n pperation, the liquid level'in the'guuge glass should be oppositethe zero mark. lf under these conditions less than vthe required amount of liquid is present, the enlargedl bore 34 ail'ords'an easy means -for filling the Ygaugeglass and incase an excess of 'liquid is supplied, this enlarged bore affords aV convenient meansfor the removal of this excess-by means of a pipette or wad of ab'- sorbent material inserted into the bore 3,4.

' When thefliquid to be measured is 'pf such .a character that it yieldsa gaseous product when subjected tol electrolysis, it is possible lytic cell affords a convenient and economical 'source'of gas pressure for the auge inasmuch`as a very small fractwn o an ampere issucient .to produce the necessary elec# trolysis. `:l/lhhenthe electrolyticcell 22 isV under a ,greater headY than the maximum at' the predetermined level in the fuel tank, thel cell is always sealed by Water and the only outlet'ifor'the excess gas is throufrh the tube 20 and liquid Vin thecontainer by meansLA of which the pressure on the 'gauge is constantly' kept the -same as that pressure in the container 37 at the predeter- "1' n ilined level, regardless of the headior height .of liquid above this predetermined level. We'claim: l. In an indicator for liquid container, the combination with a sure' gauge, of an electrolytic cell for decomposing liquid therein by electrolysis, a

conduit connecting the cell with the gauge for continuously .supplying a iuid pressure thereto, a liquid container, and an outlet'.

1 lfpvel -1n a uid presconduit connecting said First mentioned confduit with the liquid container below `the normal liquid level therein.

2, In an indicator for liquid level in a container; the combination of a differential fluid pressure gauge, of an electrolytic cell for decomposing liquid therein by electrolysis, a conduit connecting the cell with the high pressure side of the gauge, a liquid container, a conduit connecting the gauge' 'and the first mentioned conduit with the fuel tank of a motor vehicle having a dash board and a source ot' electric current, the

aowcombination with a. fluid pressure ,gauge mounted on said dashboard, of an electrolytic cell for decomposing liquid therein by electrolysis and connected with said source of current supply, a conduit connecting the cell with the gauge, a fuel tank, and an outlet conduit connecting said first mentioned conduit with the fuel tank below tlie normal fuel level therein.

4. In an indicator for fuel level in the tank of an automobile, the combination with a differential fluid pressure gauge, of a passageway connected with the water coolingr system and adapted to bc under uniformly greater pressure than that in any part of the fuel tank, an electrolytic cell in said passageway for slowly decomposingr a por-4 tion of the water therein, a conduit connecting the gauge with the cell, a fuel tank,- 'an outlet conduit joining the decomposing Water therein by electrolysis,

means connecting the Water cooling system 'with the cell to supply Water to the latter,

a conduit connecting the gauge with the cell, a fuel tank, andan outlet conduit connecting said first mentioned conduit with the fuel tank b' low the normal fuel level therein.

e. nl an indicator for liquid ievei in a container, the combinationwvith a Huid pressure gauge, of an electrolytic cell for decomposing liquid therein by electrolysis,

a source of liquid supply' connected With said cell to supply liquid thereto, a conduit connecting the vcell with the gauge for continuously 'supplying a fluid pressurev thereto, a liquid container, and an outlet conduit connecting said first mentioned coni duit Witli'the liquid container belov7 the normal liquid level therein.

In testimony whereof We ax our signatures. Y

W'ALTER C. BARNES'. WILLIAM O. BARNES. 

